Sadie Hawkins Dance

Fall 1955

Sadie Hawkins Day activities climaxed at the evening dance with the crowning of Daisy Mae and Li’l Abner. The winners of the 1955 Daisy Mae and Li’l Abner costume contest were Reda Rae Halseth and Jim Wilde. ⁽¹⁾

November 13, 1957

In 1957, a group of students known as the Dogpatchers took control of the Sadie Hawkins Day activities. As part of the revelry, students were to attend  classes dressed as their favorite character from the comic strip, Li’l Abner. Sadie Hawkins festivities included an  evening dance which was open to all students. To attend the dance, female students had to ask a male student to accompany them.

Female students who did not ask a date to the dance and all students who failed to attend class in costume were subjected to a kangaroo court. Those found guilty by the court were sentenced to punishment ranging from washing the feet of random people to singing lullabies with a mouth full of crackers. The festivities were concluded by an evening dance. The dance atmosphere was completed by the addition of chickens and a hound dog.⁽²⁾

October 28, 1959

Sadie Hawkins Day was a big part of campus life in 1959 and in years prior. Ladies would ask a gentleman to be their date.  Students would attend activities during the day and cap the day off with a dance at night. Students would dress up in costume mimicking characters from Al Capp's comic strip. Freshman who did not dress up would be punished by having to perform stunts as entertainment for the attending crowd. Prizes would be given at the end of the night to those with the most creative costume.⁽³⁾

Fall 1961

The fine art of the unrolling toilet paper is practiced by a student who did not dressup for Sadie Hawkins Day. ⁽⁴⁾

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Completed by Spring 2004 Class of English 401
Last updated Spring 2004